Pilgrim Worship Notes by Sli Nua

Pilgrim worship

This is a short, periodic account of random visits to random churches. It is an attempt to note and record a limited number of impressions of possible interest and benefit to others as we, all, seek to improve the quality of participation and outreach in our regular worshipping communities. I have tried to base the visits on the principal Sunday morning service of a given parish or church.

OVERVIEW Christchurch, Dublin St Columbas, (COI), Ennis, Co Clare St John the Evangelist, Sandymount, Dublin St John Vianney, Artane, Dublin St George’s (COI) Balbriggan, Dublin St Mary’s (COI), Howth, Dublin St Pierre de Montrouge All Saints, Raheny, Dublin Rosses Point, Sligo St Columba’s, Swords

Church Christchurch Cathedral (Church of the Holy Trinity), Dublin. Background Christchurch cathedral is the mother church of the Anglican diocese of Dublin and Glendalough. It was founded in the 11th century and has seen change over 800 years of conquest, reformation, counter-reformation and consolidation. At the heart of Dublin city it provides an important space for people to meet a vibrant worshipping community with links in time; with the city of Dublin; and across the worldwide Anglican communion. Symbolising the history of the city and the church the building is built on layers representing different phases of the life of this community stretching over a millennium. On any Sunday of the year there is likely to be a significant number of tourists visiting from outside Dublin or Ireland. I suspect that most of the ‘regulars’ do not live within the geographical boundaries of the Cathedral group of parishes but have an attachment to the cathedral for one reason or another. Website http://christchurchcathedral.ie/ the website speaks for itself – it is well structured and is updated very frequently. Access to recent sermons may be found here. A live webcast is available here. The service sheet was available here. Visit Visited on Sunday 6th September 2015. The service was attended by around 200 persons including the officiating party. All ages were represented but there were relatively few young families with children. Liturgy With the full choir back in session after the summer break this pilgrim was not disappointed by the dignity, respect and beauty of the service aided by the choir, the organist and all who took part. The absence of an organ in the 10 minute before the service was possibly a help. When it started it had a rallying effect. The style of worship and tenor of preaching is probably middle-of-the-road Church of Ireland with a hint of high church input. The administration of holy communion was, as to be expected in Anglican churches generally, dignified, orderly and joyful. Homily

This took 7 minutes confirming that quality and duration are independent variables! It was well focussed starting from an exposition of Mark 7:24-35 and quickly moved to the topical matter of the European political refugee crisis. The sermon was coherent and well structured and contained a clear and well supported message. Whoever composed the intercessions seems to have linked to the key message of the gospel/homily of the day. By coincidence Striking points Some 10 minute prior to the commencement of the service the Dean spoke to the assembled congregation; welcomed everyone and suggested that we were gathered in a sacred place to be touched by God’s word or music or sense of community. The introduction had a calming and welcoming role. There were 5 minutes of silence immediately before commencement of the service. A strong prayerful note was conveyed. Also striking was the use of silence after holy communion. This anchored the service just before the dismissal. Welcome and hospitality The welcome to take part in holy communion was particularly generous and open. The following was contained in the service sheet: Invited by the vergers, the people come forward to receive communion. wherever you are from and whatever you believe you are welcome to receive at the table of the Lord. There was an effective welcome on entrance as well as an invitation to partake in refreshments in the crypt after the service. Clearer signposting and a gentle ‘shepherding’ immediately after the service might have helped to direct more traffic there. Also, it seemed most of the choir and other ‘officiating’ party disappeared after the service. Seating and space Usual stiff chairs with soft cushion but no lower back support for this pilgrim’s bad back! The chairs were all bunched together closely. The poor soul beside me had bad breath so I had to suffer through the service on this point. However, that person possibly thought the same about me!! Other observations It is difficult to compare a Cathedral worship with that of an ‘ordinary’ parish in the diocese. Still, the solemnity, warmth and inclusiveness of the worship shows that careful preparation and attention to detail do matter. [shipoffools.com contains a mystery worshipper part. The last ‘mystery worshipper’ entry for CCC Dublin was in 2003 here.]

Church St Columbaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, Ennis, Co Clare Background Located in a picturesque location by the river Fergus and a few hundred metres from the town centre of Ennis, St Columbaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s is a convenient location for Anglican and other pilgrims visiting county Clare. Although with a small and dispersed population of parishioners the community gathered around the group of parishes that includes this Church is a vibrant one. The Drumcliffe union which includes Ennis cover the centre and western seaboard of county clare. Website The website is as follows: http://churchofirelandclare.com/ The website is up to date and contains, usefully, a list of upcoming Sunday services as well as contact details for the rector. Visit Visited on Sunday 24th January 2016. The service was that of Holy Communion attended by just under 40 persons. While there was a spread of ages the congregation was on the grey side of 50. Liturgy and music There was a small choir of a 3 or 4 persons located in the choir stalls in front of the sanctuary. The parish is blessed with an exceptionally gifted musician who played a grand piano just before the commencement of service as well as the organ. The organ provides a beautiful sound augmented by at the acoustics of this building which is sometimes used for converts. Homily The homily, which focussed on the theme of unity (this Sunday fell into the period of prayer for Christian unity), lasted just over 15 minutes. Striking points The quality of music and welcome before and after the service were particularly noted. Welcome and hospitality A warm welcome was extended before and after the service. I was struck by the friendliness of people. A cup of tea and biscuits was available in the porch as people existed. Seating and space Traditional fare with thinly lined seats and moveable kneelers. Other observations 4

Definitely a place one would be inclined to return to again given the occasion.

Church St John Evangelist, Dublin Background Located in the prosperous south east of Dublin by the sea, St John’s has a long tradition as a highchurch Anglican congregation dating back to the 19th century. It is described on its website as a ‘trustee church’ (whatever that means) and not a parish. Website The website is as follows: http://sandymount.weebly.com/ The website is up to date and contains, usefully, a list of upcoming Sunday services but no contact details for personnel in the congregation. Visit Visited on the Feast of St Patrick, 17 March 2016. The service was Holy Communion attended by just over 40 persons. While there was a spread of ages the congregation was on the grey side of 50. Possibly up to 20 participants were, like myself, from outside the regular congregation and had come to take part in a special bilingual (Irish and English) service of holy communion for the special day that was in it. The church stands out as an elegant building on an ‘island’ where two road forks around the church. You can’t miss it if you are familiar with Sandymount. The first thing that struck me on entering this church was incense – plenty of it to greet the nose and the ear! Liturgy and music While there was no choir there were a number of good and strong singers and these were accompanied by a good organ and a good organist. The lessons were read in Irish by someone with a perfect command of the language. A detailed service sheet enabled worshippers to follow the service in English. The hymnal was entitled ‘New English Hymnal’. Its hymns were not familiar to me. A special psalter was used containing quaint Elizabethan English which, presumably, adds an olde katholick feel to the proceedings! All in very good taste. The chief celebrant (born and bred in England) apologised early on for his poor grasp of the Irish language. However, he made a very credible effort surpassing by far a recent monarch who graced us with cupla focal. Homily The homily, which focussed on the theme of Patrick’s faith took about 6 minutes. It was practical and focussed. Striking points

The quality of music and welcome before and after the service were particularly noteworthy. The church has a ‘catholic feel’ to it with statues (covered for lent though), stations of the cross and a discrete ‘tabernacle in the wall’ over by the side (and a votive lamp is alight there). I was informed that confessional boxes were a feature of the church a long time ago but had been removed. How on earth did people get away with this in a very Irish low-church Anglicanism general context in former times? The only answer I can suggest is that there is something about Dublin 4! To what extent did high-anglicanism flourish in this corner of Dublin with no less than two high-church congregations side by side (St Bartholomew’s) and Ireland’s only Anglican religious community located in the vicinity of Bartholomew’s. Could the presence of ex-pats from across the water helped ensure a small but discrete anglo-catholic tradition in this part of Dublin? Welcome and hospitality A warm welcome was extended before and after the service. I was struck by the friendliness of everyone. A feast of sweet cakes greeted visitors at the back of the church. Seating and space Traditional fare with thinly lined seats and moveable kneelers. The floors and wood was dusty to say the least. Other observations Definitely a place one would be inclined to return to again especially if you are a connoisseur of highchurch liturgical style.

Church St John Vianney in Artane, Dublin, Roman Catholic parish church Background The Church of St John Vianney is a humble building hidden from the main Road in the heart of Dublinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s northside. (The Church has a personal connection for me as it was here, in 1990, that I was married. Subsequently, one of my children was baptised here by my uncle who is now deceased.) The parish is in a relatively settled and socially mixed area just 7 kilometres to the north of Dublin city centre. Pastorally the parish is served by a small religious community of Sacred Heart priests. Two of the three serving religious are from abroad. There appears to be a good rapport between the priests and the community which, in common with most city parishes, holds a large range of associations linked to the parish. Website The parish does not appear to have its own website. This is a link found on the Dublin archdiocese (RC) website: http://www.dublindiocese.ie/parish/ardlea/ Visit Visited on Saturday 5th December 2015. The service was attended by around 200 persons. All ages were represented but the congregation was predominantly elderly, as was the choir. The service was a Vigil mass on the eve of Sunday. This was the occasion of an annual family reunion to pray for, and remembers, deceased members. Liturgy and music The choir was composed of around 12 with a good accompanying organist and some strong and audible singing. As is common in Roman Catholic parishes in Ireland, the words of the hymns are not provided to the congregation (there are no hymnals and the words of the hymns are not printed on the service sheets which almost every member of the congregation takes). The result, characteristically, is a strong and audible choir with a very faint and muted input from a few members of the congregation who happen to know the words of some of the hymns. The choir gave a very good rendering of the post-consecration refrain. Homily There was no homily but, instead, a woman spoke briefly about the promotion of a religious magazine after the holy communion. Striking points The service was dignified, reverent and prayerful. Welcome and hospitality 8

There was no ‘welcoming’ team at the door. This practice is almost non-existent in Roman Catholic parishes in Ireland. A service sheet was available for all members of the congregation. It was evident that the vast majority of the congregation followed the liturgy of the word with the service sheets. Notices about parish events were printed on the service sheets. Seating and space Standard fare with good comfortable and supporting ‘kneelers’. Other observations Silence was observed before the start of the mass. There was a buzz of conversation after the mass. As is common in other RC parishes some individuals quietly prayed the rosary before and after the mass. Various lay ministers of the Eucharist (officially designated ‘extraordinary ministers of the eucharist) helped with the distribution of holy communion. The standard practice of single line procession was followed. Communion under one species, only, was administered to the congregation with the priest and lay ministers partaking in the chalice. This is the standard practice in Roman Catholic churches in Ireland. As is the case generally in parishes, the priest did not go the exit to great parishioners on their way out of the church following the mass. Neither was there any social gathering or ‘cup of tea’. There were two collections of money and these were of the non-silent variety (almost entirely coin-based).

Church St George’s (COI) Balbriggan Background The Church provides an impressive presence on a hill overlooking the harbour of the town of Balbriggan in the North of County Dublin. The area has grown rapidly in recent years especially with the arrival of many different nationalities in and around the town. The parish of Holmpatrick comprises three churches: Kenure (Rush), Holmpatrick (Skerries) and St George’s Balbriggan. Website The parish does not appear to have a website at this time. Visit Visited on Sunday 7th February 2016. The service was attended by around 50 persons. All ages were represented including a number of families. There were approximately 20 children. These took part in a children’s church at the back of the main church. The service was that of Holy Communion. Liturgy and music There was no choir but an organist provided an excellent background and support. The participation by the congregation in both the singing and responses was surprisingly weak for a Church of Ireland congregation. Homily There was a relatively short (by COI standards) sermon. It focussed on faith in times of doubt and trouble. Striking points The service was informal, dignified and prayerful. I estimate that approximately 50% of the congregation were of African origin (the two largest concentrations of Anglicans in the world are in England and Nigeria with approximately 25 million each). Welcome and hospitality There was a good welcome before and after the service. ‘welcoming’ team at the door. Tea and biscuits were provided afterwards. Seating and space Standard fare with good comfortable and supporting ‘kneelers’ and surprisingly comfortable seating. The church appears as if it could do with a major refurbishment, repainting and restoration. It is a large church and would have accommodated a few hundred in its heyday at the end of the 19th century. Other observations 10

The presence and active participation by families and young children was truly impressive. There werenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t just 2 or 3 families but 6 or more providing a balanced congregation and a sense of dynamism and involvement.

Church St Mary’s, Howth (Church of Ireland) Background The Church of St Mary’s is situated near the entrance to Howth Deer Park – a popular spot all year round with tourists and local Dublin visitors to Howth. The Church is built in a traditional style with many beautiful stain glass windows. See an account of its history here. Website http://stmaryshowth.com/ the website is well laid out and informative. It contains, for example, a list of key persons active in the parish (with photos yet to come it is said). However, some of the links are broken and the homepage needs a refresh so that, for example, the history link cited above is available as a hyperlink. Sermons are occasionally uploaded to the site here. Visit Visited on Sunday 25th October 2015. The service was attended by around 40 persons. Persons aged between 10-60 were under-represented. It is likely that mid-term school holidays impacted on the size of the congregation as well as its age profile on this particular Sunday. Liturgy The atmosphere was relaxed but reverent. The 40 or so participants were scattered across a large area of the church which could accommodate a few hundred. Homily This took 15 minutes. The preacher was the presiding minister who had stepped in for the Rector who was away. The sermon covered the work of the seafarers ministry in Dublin and linked to the Collect of Day for Bible Sunday. The importance of reading scripture and giving prominence to the family Bible was well illustrated with stories. Striking points The very first thing I noticed on entering the church was a play area off to the left of the main church area with toys, cuddly bears, colouring books etc. This was reassuring for families and young children as a welcoming place. The presence of a youth worker and more than one family with young children was welcome. Surprisingly, the children did not reappear after they left midways. Apparently, this is normal practice in this parish. Music and singing

A choir was positioned in the gallery at the back. I must say I found the hymns difficult to sing and I could not actually hear the choir when some of the hymns were sung. Perhaps the dispersal of worshippers in the church was a factor in this. Welcome and hospitality I was greeted in a friendly fashion by no less than three persons at the entrance. The welcome to take part in holy communion was generous and open as befits Anglican Churches across the world. Gluten-free bread was an option for communicants. An interesting innovation is the use of a second cup at communion. I was not sure if this was to speed things up. The symbolism of drinking from the ‘one cup’ (where congregation size permits) was a question for me. A strong plus was the availability of tea and coffee after the service. The only snag for a new comer would be how to find it … it was not at all obvious where to go as the refreshments were served in a school hall towards the back of the church. You need to be in the know. I practiced ‘loitering with intent’ over a cup of tea and nicely buttered brack and I caught the eye of a fellow worshipper. A friendly conversation followed. An appeal was made at the service for more help in regards to the rota of those preparing refreshments. Seating and space Standard seating type in COI churches. A soft cushion lining was added. The ‘kneelers’ were cushions that you sank into when kneeling which meant that I, with short legs, was peering above the pews to see the altar! What must it be like for children?! Other observations Service sheets were available where the entire service was on one sheet. A psalm was included. However, inadvertently the Old Testament reading was skipped (analogous to Sunday dinner without a starter!). [shipoffools.com contains a mystery worshipper part. There is no record of a visit to Howth since the beginning of this web feature.]

Church St Pierre de Montrouge (Roman Catholic) Background This is a very large church located at a busy thoroughfare in the ‘14th district’ (arrondissement) of Paris. Website http://www.saintpierredemontrouge.catholique.fr/ The site is well maintained, informative and structured with lots of links and resources. Sermons are available on the website. See http://mlambret.free.fr/ Visit Visited on Easter Sunday 27th March 2016 Liturgy This was an extraordinary experience. Over 1,500 persons joined the mass – young, old, families, migrants. Whole families turned out greeting each other as the French do. There was a huge number of young people, young adults, couples. There was a baptism of a number of adults and children. Homily This took over 5-10 minutes. The preacher was the celebrant. Striking points The joy of the event. Music and singing Simply fantastic Welcome and hospitality Food provided on the way out. The church was packed (it was about the size of a large Cathedral in Ireland) Seating and space French catholic style with small wooden seats and kneelers Other observations I did not know that as I was part of a joyful celebration of the Lord’s resurrection in Paris the following happened on the same morning in Lahore, Pakistan as recounted in the Financial Times: 14

On Sunday, more than 70 Pakistanis were murdered in Lahoreâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Gulshan-i- Iqbal Park in a suicide bombing targeting Christians celebrating Easter. Most of the dead were women and children. Newly wed couples were slain, families were decimated and more than 300 innocents have been injured.

Church All Saints, Raheny, Dublin (Church of Ireland) Background Along with St John the Evangelist in Coolock, All Saints is located deep on the ‘northside’ of Dublin thus proving beyond doubt that there are Protestants in this area and have been for a long time!. According to its website, the Church in Coolock was consecrated in 1760 and was built on the site of the ruined Church of St. Brendan. It is a small, delightful church on the inside. All Saints in Raheny is the main church in the parish and was built in 1889 with the assistance of Edward Arthur Guinness showing that Guinness, in moderation, can be good for churches as well as your health! All Saints is a delightful building on the inside and outside – tastefully decorated and with an attractive architectural design and layout. The church is conveniently situated on the main Howth Road leading to and from Dublin city centre to North East Dublin including Malahide and Howth areas and can be used by Sunday worshippers at 9am or 10am.

Website http://www.allsaintsraheny.org/ http://coolock.dublin.anglican.org/ The Coolock church website seems to have fallen by the way. The home page contains service information which is 2 years out of date. However, the Raheny website is colourful and active with a nice photo montage on the slider at the top. Sermons are not the website Visit Visited on Sunday 15th November 2015 (10 a.m. service of Holy Communion). The service was attended by around 70 persons. Considering that there were two others services that morning (at 9am and at 11.30 in Coolock) this seemed like a very good turnout. A number of families were present and there seemed to be a very active involvement by younger families in the life of the parish. Still, the attendance was typically by over 60s (once the children exited for their own separate service. As in Howth the children did not re-appear at any stage of the Service. Liturgy The atmosphere was positive, joyful, reverent and relaxed with lively conversations before and after the formal service – notwithstanding the very sad events in Paris two days before. Service sheets were handed out by a volunteer at the entrance. This contained (in large print) all the readings, collects and announcements. A very usefully ‘An Order of Service’ appeared on page 2 with a complete running summary order of the service and indications of which page of the Book of Common Prayer to look up as well as hymn number in the large red Hymn Book. A weekly Sunday Eucharist is offered at two times: 9am and 10am in All Saints in Raheny.

Homily This took over 10 minutes. The preacher was the Rector and presiding minister (the Deacon read the Gospel). The focus was on the Gospel reading of the Day (Mark 13:1-8) and nicely linked the key themes to the tragic events in Paris two days previously. There was a punch line in terms of what individual Christians can do by way of prayer, focus and diligence in our own lives. Striking points This seems like a lively and engaged parish with an active and vibrant community and a well prepared liturgy. The whole service took one hour and 5 minutes meaning that worshippers were free to leave shortly after 11am or partake in tea/coffee if they could find where it was (and/or had the courage to ask where). Music and singing The music and singing was very good although a single dominant baritone voice seemed to be off tune? (I could not say as I have a limited appreciation!). There was a choir of around 10 singers positioned in special stalls before the chancel. The singing was fulsome with an audible participation by the whole congregation. The service opened with a Taizé hymn (I think) while everyone remained seated and the Priest, Deacon, others joined in procession to the altar. After this the formal service began with hymns and prayers. A piano was used for the opening music while the organ was used for all of the hymns and the lovely, quiet, calming piece by JS Bach during communion time. Welcome and hospitality I was greeted in a friendly fashion by one person only at the entrance. Was this less overwhelming and more effective than if 3 were present? The Rector announced availability of tea and coffee after the service. I went searching for this afterwards following one or two persons into a large hall where there was a large number of happy children and families (connected to the service) but no tea/coffee. It must have been somewhere else … Next time ? Use GPS  Seating and space Standard seating type in COI churches. A soft cushion lining was added. The ‘kneelers’ were fixed and well covered. There was plenty of elbow and leg room for those needing it although someone in a wheelchair might find a challenge at the back. I noticed that communion was brought to a few persons at the back of the church. Other observations A psalm was included after the first reading from the Old Testament. There was a reading from the New Testament other than the Gospel as well as the Gospel itself. The ‘double cup’ method was used at communion time (just as in Howth when I visited there). Clearly, this is done to ‘save time’.

Church Rosses Point, diocese of Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh Background The church was built as a facility for local members as well as tourists visiting the area. The church is small. It is located in a beautiful area just north of Sligo town. Website http://sligocathedral.elphin.anglican.org/ the website covers a group of parishes including the Church of Ireland cathedral in Sligo town. http://sligocathedral.elphin.anglican.org/?page_id=31 Visit Visited on Sunday 22nd November 2015. The service was attended by around 9 persons including myself. The age profile was 60 and over. Liturgy Reverent and dignified as well as relaxed. Homily This took 10 minutes with a focus on the meaning of the royalty metaphor in a changing world (it was the feast of Christ the King) Striking points This appears to be a small and faithful congregation loyal to each other and open to outsiders. Welcome and hospitality I received a very warm welcome. Seating and space Usual stiff seats Other observations A notice about times of services and location of the church in the local guesthouses or hotels might help.

Church St Columba’s, Swords, County Dublin (COI). Background The roundtower is a landmark in Swords. No longer safe to be open to the public the tower is right beside the parish church of St Columba’s just off the main street in Swords. St Columba or Naomh Colmcille is associated with this district as with many other parts of the northern half of this island. The proper name of Swords is Sord Cholmcille. The word sord is derived from a word meaning clear water. It may be linked to the holy well of St Colmcille located a few hundred metres from the parish church. The church is an impressive building on a height in the middle of a very busy and built-up part of Dublin. The parish part of a group of parishes which includes Lusk, Donabate, Kilsallaghan and Clonmethan. Website http://swords.dublin.anglican.org/swords.php the website is up to date, informative, well laid out and very welcoming to someone who may be browsing or curious. Most usefully, there is a special page providing a guide to finding the church. The parish also has a regular monthly newsletter which is available on the website. Contact details under ‘who’s who’ are provided for key personnel in the parish. The results of a special survey and a statement in response by the Rector is available here. Clearly, the parish faces significant challenges. Visit Visited on Sunday 13rd December 2015. On approaching the Church I notice a large sign ‘SAVE THIS CHURCH’ visible to a huge number of people every day travelling to Brackenstown from Swords. I was delighted to see a large number of cars parked in the driveway and around the medieval structures of this holy place. I realised, later, that many were, apparently, one-off visitors associated with a baptism. The service was attended by 35-40 persons of whom many were there in relation to a baptism that took place during the service of Holy Communion. It was difficult to distinguish the regulars from the visitors who had come for the baptism. However, it is likely that the latter were composed of families not familiar with the services of the Church of Ireland. The rector kindly invited anyone who wished to come forward for holy communion. Some of the visitors did. There are special services or activities for children and young people (reference was made to bangers@Mash. And Kidzown in the parish newsletter. Liturgy The liturgy was well conducted with the support of a Lay Reader who joined in a few of the prayers said by the presiding minister (but obviously not the blessings, consecration, etc.). The readings could have been carried with stronger voices. Perhaps the AV system was an issue? There was a 19

lovely organ well played by the organist. A ‘choir’ of 2 persons stood in the gallery. I was just fortunate to be standing near a lovely singer which made for a good addition. There was a family right beside me who evidently were there on a visit and didn’t seem to have a clue about the service and did not join in whatsoever (one of the children played with the service sheet). Homily This took 6 minutes. The rector made one point and one point only based on the gospel of the day. I could still retain this point some hours later. Striking points This seems to be a traditional COI parish with some stalwarts. It is hard to tell if there are many families involved in the parish. There must be some judging by the local school and bright modern community centre just opposite the church. Welcome and hospitality I was a few minutes late arriving due to heavy Sunday morning Christmas traffic into Swords. I was greeted by the Lay Reader and another gentleman who gave me the service sheet. ‘Its all there’ I was assured by the latter (no need for the green book or the red book, I thought to myself). A little sheet was left in the pews inviting people to leave contact details if they wish as well as an indication of a desire to be visited. Seating and space Usual stiff 19th century benches. There were no kneelers. Evidently, the faithful at Swords are not given to kneeling. There was a curious little miniature door at the entrance to each row or pew. It took me a while to figure out that it opened as a car door would in a 1950’s model (from the left outwards). You got to be in the know, I thought. Other observations The formation of ice was averted by a mildly warm piping around the floor. I didn’t see any radiators in the church which is a very large and ornate building suited to a country parish of a few hundred souls in times gone by. I did notice my own breath as I joined in the singing. Some review of ‘liturgical space’ seems warranted. In common with other parishes there seems to be a major challenge to involve more people especially people between the ages of 10 and 60.